Apparatus for teaching children to walk.



No. 658,464. Patented Sept. 25, I900. E. REINLI. APPARATUS FOR TEACHINGCHILDREN T0 WALK.

(Application filed Apr. 24, 1899.)

THE Noam: warms 00.. monxumo. msnma'rou. n. c.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS'FOR TEACHING CHILDREN TO WALK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,464, datedSeptember 25, 1900. Application filed April 24,1899- Serial No- 714,Z95.(No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD REINLI, a citizen of Switzerland, residing atMurgenthal, in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Children to Walk,(for which I have applied for a patent .in England, dated March 3, 1899,No. 4,722;

in Germany, dated February 1, 1899; in Austria, dated March 3, 1899, andin France, dated March 1, 1899, No. 274,316,) of which the following isa specification.

As is well known, children who are just at the age of learning to walk,and at which age their legs are scarcely able to carry their bodies, arevery liable to acquire crooked limbs, inturned feet, curvatures of thespine, or the like, which have very injurious effects on their laterdevelopment.

Now the present invention has for its object to teach children to walk,so to speak, by way of playing. This apparatus will also be useful as aninvalids movable or bath-chair, espe cially in the case of old peoplewho find walking extremely trying and who will find the apparatus ameans of exercise of the legs in a manner closely simulating walking.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in onearrangement, which is given by way of examplei In the drawings, Figure 1is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section onthe line y y of Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line wa; of Fig. 2.

The apparatus, as shown, comprises two side frames (1, having each twoarms b and c, which extend upward, and two arms 01 and e, that extenddownward. The corresponding upper arms are connected together by meansof cross-bars c f, while through the lower arms 61 there extends an axleg, upon which are rotatably mounted wheels h h outside of the sideframes. In the ends of the arms 6 there are fixed inwardly-projectingpins, each of which carries a wheel These wheels is are Upon each pedalthere is provided a device for attaching the feet of the child firmly tothe pedals. The object of this attachment will be clear from thefollowing. Between the frames at there is also rotatably mounted a barl, to which the seat m is screwed fast, and which latter is movablyjointed to the back 11. This back has two laterally-projecting parts n,which are capable of sliding along the arms 0. A strap 0, which isdesigned to serve as a support under the arms of the child, passes overthese parts n and the cross-bar e on each side of the apparatus. The barZ can be rotated by means of an endless worm-gear, which has the resultof producing a shifting of the seat with the back and the straps. Thetwo limit positions of these parts can be seen from Fig. 2. As will beperceived, the herein-described apparatus has the form of an invalidsmovable or bath-chair and may also in certain cases be employed solelyas such. It is propelled by pushing against the cross-barf, whichconnects the long rear arms 0 with each other. By this means the pedals,as already stated above,- will execute a kind of stopping or walkingmotion, so that the feet of a child sitting in the said chair will becompelled to execute the same motion when they are connected to thepedals by means of the hereinbefore-described device. As the childimproves in learning to walk and gets stronger and bigger the seat canbe shifted, so that the child will be brought gradually from a sittingposition into a leaning position, and, finally, into a standingposition.

The straps, which also move upward, will always serve as a support underthe arms of the child.

'What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A baby-walker, comprising two side frames rigidly connected, a backslidably mounted-between the side frames, a seat pivotally mountedbetween the side frames and having connection with the back, means foradjusting and securing the seat and back in various positions, wheelsfor supporting the side frames, and pedals connected with'and drivenfrom the wheels.

2. A baby-walker, comprising a frame, a seat pivotally mounted in theframe, means for adjusting and securing the seat, a back movablymountedin the frame independently of the seat and connected with theseat tobe moved in unison therewith, the seat and back being adjustableto various positions, and 5 means for sustaining the feet of the babyindependently of the seat and back.

3. A baby-walker, comprising a fran1e,rea1' wheels for the same, a frontaxle, wheels mounted on the front axle, a rod pivoted to,

IO the front axle, pedals having connection with the ends of the rod andlocated rearward of the front .axle, and pedals having crankedconnection With the rear wheels.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

EDWARD REIN LI.

Witnesses:

R. SAUERLAMEE, HENRY H. MORGAN.

